Alfred Hitchcock, John Steinbeck Movie: **** Life Boat (1944)

 This is a very good movie about a group of people that make it to a life boat after a German U-boat sunk their ship.  It includes both passengers and crew, and a member of the crew that sunk them.  Connie Porter (Tallulah Bankhead) was the first on the boat, having ben put there by a crew member.  She is taking pictures for publication.  The boat is then caught by a crew member, John Kovac (John Hodiak) from the engine room who was on break when the ship was hit.  He asserts himself as captain.  Gus Smith (William Bendix) another crew member who has been shot in the leg.  Stanley "Sparks" Garrett (Hume Cronyn) is a radio operator.  Alice McKenzie (Mary Anderson) is and army nurse.  She takes to fixing Smith's leg as best she can.  Charles J. Rittenhouse (Henry Hull) arrives next.  H is a wealthy industrialist.  Joe Spencer (Canada Lee) African American steward arrives with a woman, Mrs. Higley (Heather Angel) who is clutching her baby.  Spencer explains he had to drag her along as she has tried to drown the baby and herself.  The baby dies.  She is in shell shock and very distraught.  Lastly Willi (Walter Slezak) arrives and the quickly he is German and from the U-boat which was sunk.  

There is a feeling to throw the German back, but calmer voices prevail and they keep him for now.  He is the only one with a compass which he keeps hid, but he influences them to go towards German resupply ships instead of Bermuda where they want to go.  Mrs Higley is shell shocked and after missing her baby wants to join her.  They have to tie her up, but when they are all asleep she manages to slip over the side.  

During the course of being marooned, Porter loses everything, first her camera, then her fur coat which she gives to Mrs. Higley before she goes over the side, her typewriter gets knocked over the side.  Even her bracelet which she uses to attract fish but then it gets away.  Those on the boat facer storms, thirst, hunger, nerves, the boat filling with water, not knowing which way to go, treachery and people from different backgrounds.  

Smith, really Schmidt, gets gangrene in his leg.  The German, (they discover he is the captain) indicates he has a history of being a doctor and cuts off the leg to save his life.  However over time Smith is so thirsty he starts drinking sea water.  He becomes delusional.  With the German captain encouraging him, he goes overboard to join his girl.  The others are distraught with him when they discover this, and that he has water.  That was why he got Smith to go over the edge as he had discovered this.  They finally throw the German overboard,  just before they are found by a German resupply ship.  However the ship is under attack and they are in the middle of the fight.  When the resupply ship is sunk they are set to be rescued.  Based on the book by John Steinbeck.  This is a very good Hitchcock, and is a very good study of persons under pressure as are John Steinbeck's books.

Book Review: ****^The Pearl

The pearl was published in 1947.  It was inspired by a Mexican folk tale from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.  This is one of my favorite books.  In this book John Steinbeck weaves the different songs, the song of family and the song of evil and they song of the pearl.  It also shows how what is suppose to be good, and quickly turn to evil because of jealous people.  Also in our own pride, sometimes we forget those we love and should not forget.  This is the story of Kino, his wife Juana and their son Coyotito. 
This book presents an island with a distinction in class.  First there is the upper, educated class.  These are the doctors, the clergy, the civil servants and the buyers of pearls.  Then there is the lower class, people who search for the pearls, but who are confined to always be poor, because of their own lack of education.  There is a situation where they have to sell their pearls in town to the local buyers, who all work for the same person, and so the prices are suppressed.  No one can get ahead, except the buyer of pearls.  The only time anyone takes interest in this family is when word has gone through the community of the great pearl Kino finds.  This is the mother of pearls.  The clergy comes to see him, to remind him of his own marriage and baptism of their boy.  The doctor, who wouldn’t see them earlier in the day, also comes to see them.  There is also evil that takes a notice in Kino.  Someone attempts to steal the pearl.
When Kino finally gets to the sellers, they offer him such a deflated price that Kino knows he is being cheated.  So he takes the pearl, proclaiming he will take it to the capital.  However they cannot let this happen.  SO another attempt to steal the pearl, leads to Kino killing a man.  They flee, but are followed by others intent on killing them and getting the pearl.  The status quo cannot be broken. 
Such a story can only end one way, and tragedy strikes the men following them as well as the family.  This book, with the weaving songs is very enjoyable.  It is like the story is being whispered into your mind and you can see the pictures being painted.

Book Review: The Wayward Bus

This is a John Steinbeck book.  This book is a study of characters from different economic circumstances, and from different cultures who are thrown together for a bus ride through the rain, and taking an old road because the bridges are out. 
The characters are interesting in their own right.  Juan Chicoy is half Mexican, and owner of the Rebel Corner Diner and also runs a bus line from there to the coast.  He keeps the Virgin dangling from the mirror of his bus, Sweetheart.  Pimples, who wants to be called Kit, is his assistant mechanic at the Corners.  Juan's wife is Alice.  She has a bad temper which gets her into trouble.  She is also snoopy and wants to find out things to hold over people.  The helper in the diner is Norma.  Norma is somewhat lost in life.  She is saving her money to go to Hollywood. 
The bus passengers include the Pritchards, Mr. and Mrs. and their daughter Mildred.  Mildred has an attraction to Juan.  Ernest Horton is a traveling salesman.  He has plans to get ahead through an invention.  An old man, who is always quoting regulations and destroying everyone's fun.  He has a stroke before they reach their destination.  Camille is a character who changes the dynamics.  She is the last to arrive.  She is a real beauty and the men all want to be close to her.   She is in fact a striptease artist. When the bus gets stuck, Chicoy plays with the idea of just running away.  He comes to his senses, and resigns himself to his current life.  This book has interesting characters, not a lot of plot, but lots of interaction between different people thrown together.

Book Review: Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937.  It was subsequently made into a play, and there are three or four movie versions.
I think this is one of my favorite stories of all time.  It has to do with hope, and shattered hope; as well as being there for each other.
I like the way John Steinbeck describes things.  I can see Lenny in the dusty barn playing with the pups; the African American man with the crooked back, and his resentment about not being included; I can hear the clang of the horseshoes as they hit the stakes, and the groans of the men as they fall off, or the cheers as someone scores a ringer.  I relate to that rural life.  Steinbeck has a way of describing people, but also nature.  I paid attention to the crane that grabbed the water snake.  I had missed that little description when I read before.
And the dreams of Lenny and George, which seem to be larger than life.  The little place with a cow and some chickens and a few rabbits.  An alfalfa field to feed the chickens.  This dream eventually includes a workman who lost his hand in a farm accident, Candy.  With his stake it seems their dream might really happen.  But sometimes things are not to be.  "The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often awry, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!"  (Robert Burns)  When everything falls through, it is Candy who is most grieved. "'You an' me can get that little place, can't we, George?  You an' me can go there and live nice, can't we George?  Can't we?'  Before George answered, Candy dropped his head and looked down at the hay.  He knew."  (Steinbeck)
I can see how some people may be disturbed with the ending, but in its way, it is a beautiful ending to a tragic story.  Could it have ended any other way?  Throughout the story, George and Lenny talk about how they are different, they have each other.  And so George takes care of Lenny, and doesn't leave him to any mob.
This is a beautiful book.

Theatrical Review: Play of the Week: Burning Bright, John Steinbeck

There is something different about this play.  It was presented in the TV series Play of the Week in 1959.  It has the same four characters throughout, but they change their background.  In the first two acts they are in the circus.  Fred ed is a clown, and his best friend is Joe Saul, a trapeze artist.  Joe's cousin passed away, and the new trapeze artist is Victor.  Joe's wife is Mordeen.  Something is burning at Joe's heart.  He was previously married for five years, and his wife passed away.  He has now been married for three years, and no baby by either wife.  He is getting old, and is worried his seed will die with him.  Friend Ed and Joe's wife scheme to get him a baby, using Victor.  We then find the same four people working on a farm.  They refer to happenings in the first two acts, but have left the circus behind.  Mordeen announces she is pregnant, and Victor, who works on the farm, realizes the child is his.  He cannot let this go, and he says he cannot leave knowing he is gong to be a father.  No one tells Joe.  In the final act the are on a ship.  Friend Ed is going to take Victor away.  However Victor insists he is staying, and going to divulge the secret, and force Mordeen to be with him.  Friend Ed says he has to tell Victor a secret, takes Victor on deck and dispatches with him, a knife and overboard.  He is still going to sail away with friend Ed.  Mordeen knows what has happened, but is going to life with it.  Then enters Joe, who has been to the doctor, and discovered his sperm are dead.  He has an illness and is dying.  He turns Mordeen away, but Friend Ed gets him to come to his senses, and the final scene is the hospital where the baby has been born, and Joe is there with Mordeen. 
I have thought about why the setting changed, while the characters didn't.  I think Steinbeck was saying that these circumstances could happen in  whatever setting, that wasn't important.  What was important was the struggle to leave something  better after ourselves, but also to be accepting of whatever roll life might give us.  This is a play which touches on infertility, and the attitude of one man towards infertility and how he comes to terms with his infertility.

Book Review: The Wayward Bus

The Wayward Bus
This is another John Steinbeck.  This book is a study of characters from different economic circumstances, and from different cultures who are thrown together for a bus ride through the rain, and taking an old road because the bridges are out. 
The characters are interesting in their own right.  Juan Chicoy is half Mexican, and owner of the Rebel Corner Diner and also runs a bus line from there to the coast.  He keeps the Virgin dangling from the mirror of his bus, Sweetheart.  Pimples, who wants to be called Kit, is his assistant mechanic at the Corners.  Juan's wife is Alice.  She has a bad temper which gets her into trouble.  She is also snoopy and wants to find out things to hold over people.  The helper in the diner is Norma.  Norma is somewhat lost in life.  She is saving her money to go to Hollywood. 
The bus passengers include the Pritchards, Mr. and Mrs. and their daughter Mildred.  Mildred has an attraction to Juan.  Ernest Horton is a traveling salesman.  He has plans to get ahead through an invention.  An old man, who is always quoting regulations and destroying everyone's fun.  He has a stroke before they reach their destination.  Camille is a character who changes the dynamics.  She is the last to arrive.  She is a real beauty and the men all want to be close to her.   She is in fact a striptease artist. When the bus gets stuck, Chicoy plays with the idea of just running away.  He comes to his senses, and resigns himself to his current life.  This book has interesting characters, not a lot of plot, but lots of interaction between different people thrown together.

Movie Review: ****Grapes of Wrath

This is the John Steinbeck classic.  This 1940 movie is John Ford directed and stars Henry Fonda as Tom Joad.  He returns to the family after four hears in prison for killing a man in  fight.  He finds everything different.  The land in Oklahoma has been bought by speculators, and the people put out by the banks.  California is where everyone is going to start over.  So Tom joins the family, and they take along a preacher, Casy (John Carradine).   Casy stays with the family, until he takes the blame for a fight at a camp, and is run out of town.  The family finds work picking peaches.  They are in fact breaking a strike.  Tom goes to check things out.  He finds Casy there, leading the strikers.  When the goons come out to chase away the camp, they go for Casy, as he talks a lot.  The kill him, and Tom retaliates by killing a goon.  He gets a hit on the face in the scuffle.  The family has to move on, or loss Tom.
Ma Joad (Jane Darwell)  is the strength of the family.  It is she who keeps them together.  As they family is moving on yet again at the end of the movie, she observes that women are steady, while men go in jerks.  By this she means women find strength in whatever circumstance, while men are dependent on their environment.
I really liked the characters of Tom, Ma, and Casy as presented in this film.  My only complaint is the ending is different than the book.  In the book there is a show of strength, that we take from Ma's words, but which we don't see in action the same way as the book.

Book Review: The Pastures of Heaven

The Pastures of Heaven
John Steinbeck offers a description of this valley, which is so positive I have been trying to find exactly where it is located and I want to go see it for myself.  Pastures of heaven, must be very nice.
This book is a series of twelve short stories about the people of pastures of heaven.  This is an earlier book of John Steinbeck, published in 1932.  I love short stories, and I love John Steinbeck, so this is the perfect book for me. 
The first story told is that of Bert Munroe, a father with wife and one child, who come to the valley to change their bad luck.  He has had several business ventures which have fallen through.  Often they looked like they would bring success, but in the end did not.  He takes up the farm which is supposed to be cursed.  Past residents have fallen on bad luck with a past family being subject to epilepsy and crazy fits, and they all die in the end.  The next family to be on the place just disappeared mysteriously.   Bert says it’s funny about the place because maybe his bad luck and the places bad luck will cancel each other out, and it does.  He becomes a prominent member of the community and is well liked and accepted.
Edward “Shark” Wicks is believed to be wealthy with many investments.  However his investments are just pretend, but he lets others believe he is doing well.  He is cursed, or blessed with a beautiful daughter.  He protects her chastity jealously.  When he goes away on a trip, comes back and discovers she was kissed by a guy, he ends up with a gun headed towards the boy’s property, even though he really doesn’t want to do anything.  Before he can back down, he is confronted by the police and arrested.  Bond is set, and the whole town comes to realize he has nothing.  His wife is the person with all the power of healing.  He is a broken man, but she lets him know they can go away, and he can have his shot for real.
Junius Maltby comes to the valley for his health.  He was a successful clerk in San Francisco.  He rents a room, but when the widowed proprietor worries about what others might say, He marries her.  She has two sons.  They die from the flu, and the black death takes her, but before she dies, she gives him a son.  He knows nothing of parenting or farming.  The farm turns to weed and they are poor.  He hires a German to run the farm, who knows less than he.  They live in bliss, until the county makes the son go to school.  Father sends him in rags, and the community feels they need to do something about it.  However he is a leader among the boys, and well liked.  They imitate his clothes.  His father and farm hand join in the games.  However, at the annual School Board visiting the school day, a wife of the school board presents him with new clothes.  This causes his father to realize what others think of him, and he leaves the valley, going back to San Francisco to work at a job he knows.

Book Review: Sweet Thursday (Sequel to Cannary Row)

“Sweet Thursday” is a delightful read.  It was published in 1954 and written by John Steinbeck.  It is the sequel to “Cannery Row.”  It is set after WWII where “Cannery Row” is before the war.  Many things have changing.  The Bear Flag is now run by Dora’s sister Fauna, after Dora passed away, the local market is run by El Patron, Jesus and Mary, after it was sold to him by the Chinaman.  The boys of the flop house are still there, minus one who didn’t come back from the war.  Doc returns to the Western Biological Laboratory, after it was abandoned during the war.  He begins to rebuild his business.
We add to this mix of characters, Suzy, who arrives new to town, is destitute, and takes up residence and profession at the Bear Flag.  She becomes a project of Miss Fauna, who prides herself in marrying off some of her prostitutes to good men.  They are her gold-star girls.  She earmarks Suzy for Doc. 
Doc has his own struggles.  He wants to do something important with his life.  He takes to writing a paper about octopi.  He can’t get anything on paper however.  He struggles, but the words don’t come.  He studied 20 of them, until they all died.  Now to continue his project, he has to get more octopi when the tide is right, from La Jolla.  Steinbeck interprets Doc’s problems with three voices.  The lower voice, “I am lonely” seems to be the strongest.  Above these voices are those that I have to achieve, and you’ll only fail anyway. 
Fauna manipulates Doc into taking Suzy on a date, and they have a good time.  However Suzy reports they don’t even kiss.  Then the big day arrives.  A party is planned, to present Suzy to Doc as a desirable mate.  Suzy dresses like Snow White.  However, Suzy can see in Doc’s eyes that he is being forced rather than actually going for it of his own free will, or out of love.  She takes off, falling in the mud, and confessing her love.  She is not willing to give into it due to her own pride.  She does move out of the Bear Flag, takes up residence in a boiler, and works for a diner, supporting herself with tips. 
At the same time Doc’s lower voice finally wins out.  He realizes he cannot live without Suzy.  He just can’t be complete without her.  However she won’t have him.  The solution comes to Hazel, who is slow intellectually, but knows he has to do something.  It is rather drastic.  He breaks Doc’s arm with a bat.  He now cannot go collect his octopi without help.  Suzy comes to the rescue, as she is now finds a place.  She has to learn to drive to do it, and drives off with Doc in the car, headed to La Jolla, having knocked the porch off the lab.
I wonder about pride.  In this case it almost kept two people apart.  There was pride on both sides.  Hopefully it doesn’t take broken bones to overcome pride.  I think of a Neal Diamond song, “It’s my belief pride is the chief cause in the decline of the number of husbands and wives.  Oh the great evil pride.  May I keep her in check.

Book Review: John Steinbeck, The Short Novels of

I guess this is a review of the review, or a review of the introduction to this collection of Steinbeck books.

This book was published in 1953 by Viking Press.  It has six short novels, which I will review when I read them.  It also has an introduction by Joseph Henry Jackson which is the subject of this review.

The introductionist points out that critics have said many different things about John Steinbeck.  Is he a symbolist, realist, etc?  However he concludes his conversation quoting John Steinbeck, "My whole work drive has been aimed at making people understand each other."  This is a broad statement, and a worthy goal.  When he writes, he paints people, and leaves them open, so we can empathize with them.  I have been a reader of John Steinbeck since my youth.  I wonder how well John Steinbeck accomplished this goal with me.  Have I been more interested in others and their plight in life as a result of what I have read?  Did John Steinbeck stimulate my career choice of Social Work?  I enjoy reading Steinbeck, and I think this is because of the characters.  He also describes scenery, but it is his characters that makes his books.
I am going to enjoy rereading these books.

Book Review: Tortilla Flat.

This is a classic John Seinbeck, and one of his earlier works.  It follows a group of paisanos who live near Monterrey.  They are held together by Danny, who has inherited two houses.  Danny is a character who is use to being homeless, but now has two houses when he returns from the war.  It follows this group after they return from World War I.  They get the most pleasure from a jug of wine, and are always looking for a dollar so they can buy wine.  They also avoid work, unless it is really necessary.

Pilon rents one of the homes, but never intends nor has money to pay.  Eventually he and a couple others staying with him burn the home down.  They then move in with Danny, and the pressure of paying rent is taken away.  Eventually the group includes six, who live in the house, Danny, Pilon, Pablo, Big Joe Portagee, The Pirate and his five dogs and Jesus Maria.  Jesus Maria is the more sensitive member, and leads the group on altruistic ventures, including supporting a woman with nine children the years the beans failed, and she was not able to glean from the fields.  The Pirate has made a vow to give a candlestick to Saint Francis, who cured one of his dogs.  Every day he chops a wagon load of wood, and takes it to the city to sell.  He gets a quarter every day, which he saves for a 1000 day candle.  He hides the money, and the group want to find it to altruistically help the Pirate better take care of himself.  However they also see much wine in the task.  However, in the end, the Pirate gives the money to his friends to watch for him.  Big Joe steals the money, but in the recovery they realize the Pirate has met his goal.  The candle is given, and the Pirate is dressed well enough to attend church, by borrowing clothes from the others.  The dogs also break into the service in which the priest talks about the love of Saint Francis for animals.

There are numerous short stories woven into the telling of this book.  I enjoyed it.  John Stienbeck's goal of helping us understand them is achieved.

The book ends with a sad tone, after a couple years of being landlord, Danny longs for his carefree former life.  He goes into a funk, and his friends decide to have a big party with lots of wine to bring him out of it.  His friends actually work to get money for wine.  The party ends up being a community wide party.  When Danny gets drunk he likes to fight.  He challenges everyone to fight him.  He has no takers, and goes outside to find someone. I could tell more, but don't want to divulge the ending.  I enjoy Steinbeck books, and would recommend this book to others wanting to read a good story.

Movie Review: ****La Perla, The Pearl

This is a 1947 Mexican film of the John Steinbeck novella the Pearl.  I borrowed it from Manteca Library.  It was selected by US Film Registry for preservation.

This story follows very closely the book, but not exactly.  John Steinbeck wrote the screenplay.  This movie has lots of tension, starting with the scorpion stinging the baby.  Seeing the scorpion and the baby, and knowing what would happen was very tense.  They take the baby to the doctor who refuses to see them.  What I liked that was not in the book is the showing of the Mexican culture.  This includes singing, dancing and fireworks.  The story takes place in Baja California.  The doctor refuses to see the baby, but he is cured with help of a curandera.  Meanwhile, the father finds a big pearl.  The pearl changes the life of he and his family.  First locals try to steal the pear from him.  The do this by playing on his lack of knowledge.  The doctor insists he treat the baby, even though he is now better.   The doctor and his brother-in-law try to get him drunk so they can steal the pearl.  There is a big fight.  They accuse him of fighting his best friends.  The pearl buyers, try to buy the pearl for much less than it is worth.  They all work for the "patron."  He decides to take the pearl to a large city to sell.    His wife pleads with him, "por favor, tira la perla al mar." "please, throw the pearl into the sea."  He refuses, and when she tries to do it, he catches her and hits her.  They are confronted by robbers, and the father kills a man.  He and his family make their escape.  He is chased by the doctor and the patron, who has trackers.  The patron kills the doctor, and another bystander.  He then catches up to the family, and hears the baby crying.  He fires a shot at the baby, just before the father is able to overcome him.  The couple return home, where they throw the pearl back into the sea.
This story has meaning on a couple of different levels.  You can look at it from the perspective of seeing everything against those who are poor, trying to keep them in their station.  However you can also look at it from the attitude that we all have our lot in life, and should stay there, and not let big dreams get in the way.
It does help to know Spanish, but I didn't catch all the dialogue.  There is more action than dialogue however, and if you have read the book you can follow the story.

Book Review: The Long Valley

This is not my favorite John Stienbeck book.  It is a series of eleven  stories which center on Salinas Valley.  It was published in 1938.  It also includes the Red Pony series which I have reviewed elsewhere.  http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-red-pony.html
It isn't Steinbeck's writing style which I dislike.  He is a master of this craft.  However, in his efforts for realism, with some of these stories he leaves a sour feeling.  It seems the stories are generally tragic, and sometimes too graphic.
The story which most left me with an eerie feeling was "Flight."  You have a premonition it is not going to turn out well.  Even the main character's sister, early on says her brother is not dead yet.  It is just too graphic for me in the end.
"The White Quail" is also tragic.  However in this case, the ending is unexpected, and very sudden.  The wife in this story is very selfish in her pursuing a garden, above all else; above love for her husband, above having children, or letting her husband have a dog. 
Steinbeck introduces us to later themes.  A story deals with migrant workers ("Breakfast.")  Another about labor organizing, ("The Raid.")  He has a story about a man who at one time would had been considered an "idiot savant."  (I think that label is offensive, but it works in this case.)  "Johnny Bear" had no social skills, but had an ability to repeat conversations word-for-word.   He uses this skill to get people to buy him whiskey.  Going around as a human tape recorder, can only offend others and get you in trouble.  Such is the case here.
Another story which leaves a bad feeling is "Murder."  This story seems to indicate there is a place for spousal abuse.  I totally disagree with this premise.  There is never an excuse for hurting another of Heavenly Father's children.
Steinbeck also has a study of group think in "Vigilante."  There have been studies of this.  How people will sometimes do things they normally wouldn't, if they are going along with a group.  In this story, we see a young man after he has participated in a lynch mob.  There is no thought of their own guilt, but only justification and getting away with it.
This book does have the quality of writing of Steinbeck.  However, I am not sure if all of these stories needed to be told.

Movie Review: ***^ Cannery Row

The credits indicate this is based on the John Steinbeck books Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.  It is 90 percent Sweet Thursday with a little Cannery Row, like the frog roundup thrown in for good luck.  The first book let us know that Suzy wasn't the first to live in the boiler.  A couple had preceded her.  We don't see this in the movie.  The movie has a couple twists to the relationship of Doc (Nick Nolte) and Suzy, (Debra Winger) like Doc having been a baseball player.  Doc's place gets broken up like the first book, and he ticks off Suzy like in the second book.  I like the spunkiness of Suzy's character.  However I think she was too hookerized.  Part of the fun of the book is she just didn't fit with that life style.  There was no way for the movie to portray the different voices talking to the Doc.  They really make the book interesting, the drive and the futility of the drive. 
Nolte does an adequate job as the Doc.  He does seem more like and ex-baseball player than the Doc from the book.  I miss the Doc's rich eccentric friend, who sponsors him in the end to get a high powered microscope.  The movie ends with Mac and the boys earning money and they mistakenly get him a telescope.
This movie ends happy with Suzy learning to drive so she can drive Doc to La Joya.

Movie Review: ****Of Mice and Men (1939)

This is the 1939 movie version of John Steinbeck's book which was published in 1937.  There are a couple things I like better in this movie than the Gary Sinise John Malkovich version.  And there are a couple things that I don't like as well.  This version gives much more focus to the situation of Curly's wife.  It is interesting that she is not named.  She is a non-person.  To Curly she is a pretty possession he has to look out for.  He spends much of his energy accusing others flirting with his wife.  She for her part longs to go to the movies, but Curly goes to town with his friends.  Apparently she has no mother-in-law, and father-in-law does not like her to play music.  In the end she does not have a life.  This movie portrays her being kicked out at the end, and she comes back to get her puppy.  As for Curly this movie leaves out the bit about using Vaseline on his hands.  However he does tangle with Lenny, and gets his hand smashed.  I like the look of the splint they put on his hand.  I don't care as much for this Lenny as John Malkovich.  He leaves a sense of pretending to Lenny, rather than actually being the character.  I like Crooks in this version, with his twisted back, and bitterness that he can't associate with the other men because of the color of his skin.  I also really like Candy, his reactions to his dog being shot, and then is having hope of getting a place with Lenny and George.
The ending is done is in good taste, showing George and his reaction, rather than the physical brutality of the bullet hitting Lenny in the head.  This is a very good version, and it being so soon to the release of the book, leaves me to think John Steinbeck had an active role.  Steinbeck did write a theatrical version of this book.

Movie Review: ***^ O'Henry's Full House

This is a movie which present five short stories of O'Henry and is narrated by John Steinbeck.  Some of the stories were familiar to me.  The first is "The Cop and the Anthem."  This is the basis for a Red Skelton sketch.  Briefly, the story is of a "bum" who is down on his luck.  Winter is coming on, so he determines three months in jail would be nice and warm.  However he finds it difficult to get arrested.  He throws a rock through a window, and they chase someone else; he eats a fine meal with no means to pay, and gets thrown out.  Nothing seems to work.  He finds himself in a church, and his heart is pricked and he decides he should get a job and start a new life.  However he is arrested for vagrancy, and thrown in jail for three months, he gets what he wants, the second he doesn't want it.

The Clarion Call is a police story which pits a detective against his old friend he grew up with.  His friend turned out to be a criminal, who has just killed a man in a burglary.  However he holds a mark over the detective, a $1000 mark of money he loaned the detective.  He knows the detective cannot repay, and cannot turn him in as long as he is in his debt.  The detective gets out of the bind by getting the reward money offered by a paper for his arrest, and giving this to the criminal.

The third is "The Last Leaf,"  I recently reviewed the BYU version of this movie.  This version is more a period piece.  It does not have such a close relationship between the painter and the girls, but mostly one of acquaintance.  However the sacrifice of the painter is just as real as he paints his masterpiece.

The Ransom of Red Chief is well done and very funny.  It is about a kidnapping.  The con men have an old car which is humorous all to itself.  I am pretty sure there is a Don Knots movie of the same theme (No Deposit No Return.)  This movie is very funny, as the family enjoys a couple days without their terror of a son, and the kidnappers are forced ts pay him parents to take him back. 

The last movie is "The Gift of the Magi."  There is a similar movie with Marie Osmond.  This version is very well done as well.  It does not show what their pride and joys are, but shows the anguish at getting money to but Christmas.  There is no bonus this year, but she has the barber cut her hair for a wig, and she is able to but a chain for his watch.  He sells his watch so as to get combs for her hair.  They know they love each other after they have given their most priced possession for the other.

This movie is worthy of watching.  It was enoyable and is good family fair.

Book Review: Cannery Row

Cannery Row; John Steinbeck 1945
This book is the story of two great parties, one which goes awry, and one which hits its mark.  Doc is such a swell guy; everyone wants to throw him a party.  Mack, who describes himself as one who tries hard, but things just don’t work out for him.  And so more than the parties, are the characters involved.  Mack and his flophouse friends go on an adventure to find frogs so as to raise money for the first party.  They have a great time finding frogs, get drunk, and meet a man who gives them a pup to bring back.  They come back with hundreds of frogs.
They are able to use the frogs to purchase all the items they need for the party from Lee Chong, decorations, food, more decorations and alcohol.  They only problem is that when they have the surprise party for Doc, in his laboratory, Doc doesn’t show up.  As parties will, it gets out of hand, leaving the laboratory in ruins.  Many of Doc’s record albums are broken, as is the record player, glass is broken, books are left about; it’s a big mess.  When Doc does get home, he finds his place in shambles, and takes out his anger on Mack’s face with a couple hard blows.  He then cleans up the mess.
The second party, Doc is expecting, and even though it is a surprise party, he has prepared for the party.  His nicer albums he has locked away, as well as other stuff he doesn’t want broken.  There are still fights and damage, broken windows etc.  But this time Doc is part of the party, in his nostalgic way.  He quotes poetry which reminds them all of lost loves.  Lee Chong participates, giving Doc a long string of firecrackers, which they set of in the early hours of the morning.  This is a party they will remember for a long time.
Mixed in these stories of the parties are the characters.  They boy who helps Doc collect from the ocean, who is not allowed to go to school as he has a learning problem, and in his efforts to get something nice for the part sets himself on his way to reform school for stealing; a Chinaman who spends each night by the ocean; Malloy and his wife who live in an old boiler; the flop house friends and their dog-- bums really, but they have a place to stay thanks to Lee Chong.  Lee Chong is the Chinese grocer who is shrewd in business, and has everything you might need in his shop—but nothing is ever on sell.  There are the characters of the Bear Flag Restaurant--    really a whore house; from the bouncer to the madame.
Understanding characters is what John Steinbeck is about.  To understand Doc, one must understand the tides.  He is a student of the tides, which helps him in his collecting of animals to sell to universities.  He visits La Jolla, collecting octopi.  While he is out as far as you can go, before the tide starts coming back in; he comes upon the body of a young woman under the water, wedged between a couple of rocks.  She is beautiful in her way, but also scary and mysterious.  Doc is affected by this, and reports it to a gentleman along the beach who will inform the police.
This is a fun book.  It does not have all the characters in the movie.  However I understand there is a sequel, ”Sweet Thursday.”  Some of the movie is from that book as well.

Book Review: The Moon is Down

This book is part of the series of short John Steinbeck Books I am been reading.  It was originally published in 1942 by Viking Press.  I have read it before, as all of these books, but enjoyed it all the same.  An invading army easily takes over a city.  It is assumed to be the Nazis and most likely Norway.  The city has a coal mine and a port.  The coal is important to the invading army, and so this city is of importance.  The invasion was planned well, and with the help of an inside man, they take over the city with no casualties on the part of the invading army.  However, when the local militia of twelve men return from target practice, six of them are killed by machine gun fire, another three are wounded.
This story pits that of the invaders and the conquered, and the roles they play in resisting each other.  Of course the invaders would like to be accepted, to be loved; but such cannot be the case.  And so resentment, hatred and rebellion fester with the people.  Some of the locals escape to England, but still the situation is precarious.  When one of the minors gets upset, for being forced to work when he is a “freeman,” he kills a German officer.  He is brought to a mock trial, with the mayor supposedly presiding.  The mayor refuses to condemn him to death, saying he will only do this when the 20 men who killed the local militia are also brought to justice.  However, he has to be executed, so this is done without the mayor’s good graces.
The resentment continues to boil, and finally the mayor is able to get a message out, to inform the English of their resistance.  They are rewarded with dynamite, dropped down in parachutes, which they can easily use to blow up the tracks, and slow down the extraction of coal. 
So in the end, the flies had captured the flypaper.  The invaders could threaten, could execute, take away rights, but in the end, freedom wins out.  You can’t take away the will of the people to protect their freedoms.  I highly recommend this book.  It has been published in many languages, used during WWII to stimulate resistance, and depicts accurately the will of people to resist the conqueror. 

Book Review: The Red Pony

The Red Pony
This short novel be John Steinbeck was originally published as four short stories in various magazines from 1933 to 1936 and published as a book in 1937.  The main character is Jody Tiflin, his parents, a work hand Billy buck, and people who visit.  The first story deals with the red pony form which the book takes its title.  I think this is one of my lesser favorites of John Steinbeck.  Part of that is the stories do not always flow into each other.  However the book has two themes, which each come up a couple of times.  The first is the boy and his ponies.  The first chapter deals with the gift from his father, and the struggle to keep that gift.  The third book has to do with breeding their horse, and the struggle to get the baby colt, after almost a year.  Both these stories take dramatic twists, and don’t have happy endings. 
The concern I have is the other two chapters are not about horses.  The second chapter of the book is about an old man who returns to the ranch to die.  He takes and old horse from the ranch and rides into the mysterious mountains to accomplish his aim.  The last chapter is about the maternal grandfather, who lead a wagon train to California in the days of Westward Migration, but after arriving at the Pacific, his life was pretty well done, and now he just talks about his life.
I am reading this book from a six-novel set, which explained that John Steinbeck’s intent was to help people understand his characters.  In this novel, the father is always seen as unsympathetic.  I must admit I never did understand his motivation.  He would give gifts, (the red pony) and promises, (sending the mare to stud) but also is negative and critical of his son, destroying whatever relationship there may have been.  This attitude is also heaped on his father-in-law, as he doesn’t want to listen to his stories.  I liked the other characters however; Billy Buck trying to do right by Jody, his sympathetic mother, the old man Gitano who comes to die, and Jody himself.
Even though this is my least favorite, it is still well written and provides an interesting study of a boy dealing with loss and heartache.

Movie Review: ****Of Mice and Men

After reading the book, I decided to watch the movie.  To see some of this acted out, can be a bit disconcerting, so it has a PG-13 rating.  For the most part it doesn't show a lot of blood, but it does show violence.  This movie is available on Netflix Instant.  It stars Gary Sinise as George and John Malkovich as Lenny.
It is very true to the story, but it starts with the later flashback.  Lenny gets in trouble touching a woman's soft dress, and being accused of attempted rape.  A posse goes after George and Lenny, but they escape in a ditch.  They then show up close to a farm by Soledad, and are hired to help with the barley harvest. 
Soledad, loneliness, and that is what John Steinbeck portrays, is lonely, insecure people.  It shows us the boss' son Curley who is lonely, wishes he were bigger, is over jealous his new wife might  not be faithful, and is controlling and abuses her.  We see his wife, who is also lonely, not allowed to talk with anyone because of her husband's loneliness, the boss who gives the Black farm hand "hell" when anything goes wrong.  Candy, (Ray Walston) who has his old mutt for company.  However his mutt is blind, and stinks, and the other bunk mates don't like it and convince him to have the dog put down.  Carlson uses his pistol.  Slim, the foreman, who really doesn't have anyone, and the other ranch hands are all working to get their $50 so they can take it into town on blow it on beer and whores.  The saddest case is Crooks, the stable hand.  His back is crooked from having been kicked in the back by a horse.  He is African American, and has his own room, but is not allowed with the other men, and only has books to read.  He is lonely too, books aren't enough when you are aching for company.  We never see the boss' wife, or Curly's wife might have had a friend.  As such she wanders among the farm hands looking for companionship.
In this mess of people, Lenny, George and Candy make a plan to get away.  It just might work.  Candy has some money from his losing his hand, and saving up.  With the pay at the end of the month, they could swing getting their own place, where they could live and support each other.  If they could just make it to the end of the month.  This movie lacks some of the lines I liked from the movie.  It does have a similar ending; except George isn't met by the farm hands at the end, but sneaks off in a cargo train.